Poverty Headcount reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions - 1st in South Africa

South Africa: Poverty Headcount reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions - 1st was 7.0% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
7.0%
Change on year
up 33.9%
World rank
28th
of 34 countries
All-time high
10.6%
in 2019
All-time low
3.1%
in 2005
Years of data
7
2005–2021

Poverty Headcount reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions - 1st in South Africa, 2005–2021

468102005201320212005: 3.12014: 4.72016: 8.22018: 4.22019: 10.62020: 5.22021: 7

Source: ASPIRE.

Analysis

In 2021, poverty headcount reduction (%) - contributory pensions - 1st in South Africa stood at 7.0%.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 33.9% on the previous year and up 48.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, poverty headcount reduction (%) - contributory pensions - 1st in South Africa peaked at 10.6% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 3.1%, in 2005.

South Africa ranks 28th of 34 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

Poverty Headcount reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions - 1st in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Poverty Headcount reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions - 1st quintile (poorest) -urban in South Africa, 2005 to 2021.
Year Value Change
2005 3.1%
2014 4.7% +50.4%
2016 8.2% +75.1%
2018 4.2% -48.7%
2019 10.6% +151.0%
2020 5.2% -50.9%
2021 7.0% +33.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 3.1% 3.1% 3.1% 1
2010s 6.9% 4.2% 10.6% 4
2020s 6.1% 5.2% 7.0% 2

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 25 Pakistan 9.6% compare
  2. 26 Colombia 9.3% compare
  3. 27 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 7.4% compare
  4. 29 Dominican Republic 6.9% compare
  5. 30 Peru 5.7% compare
  6. 31 Paraguay 4.9% compare

See the full ranking of 34 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is poverty headcount reduction (%) - contributory pensions - 1st in South Africa?
Poverty headcount reduction (%) - contributory pensions - 1st in South Africa was 7.0% in 2021, according to ASPIRE.
What is the highest poverty headcount reduction (%) - contributory pensions - 1st recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 10.6% in 2019.
What is the lowest poverty headcount reduction (%) - contributory pensions - 1st recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 3.1% in 2005.
How does South Africa rank for poverty headcount reduction (%) - contributory pensions - 1st?
South Africa ranks 28th out of 34 countries with data for 2021.
Is poverty headcount reduction (%) - contributory pensions - 1st rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 48.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from ASPIRE, published as part of Poverty Headcount reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions - 1st quintile (poorest) -urban. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Poverty Headcount reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions - 1st in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on ASPIRE. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/poverty-headcount-reduction-percent-contributory-pensions-1st-quintile-poorest-urban/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Poverty Headcount reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions - 1st quintile (poorest) -urban
Source
ASPIRE
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
34 places, 347 data points, 2002–2023
Last refreshed

Poverty headcount reduction due to Contributory Pensions programs as % of pre-transfer poverty headcount